Apparatus for drying cloth



| A. RUNTON ETAL 2,629,940

APPARATUS FOR DRYING CLOTH March 3, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1949 2 Z mmvroi s.

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March 3, 1953 L. A. RUNTON ETAL APPARATUS FOR DRYING CLOTH s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1949 J INVENTORS. 68 a 0n, f dzl az z i 60 Jwms 2% M Way 4 March 3, 1953 L. A. RUNTON ETAL 2,629,940

APPARATUS FOR DRYING CLOTH Filed July 1; 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 a J WW may Patenteci Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,629,940 APPARATUS FOR, DRYING cLoTn Leslie A. Runton, Dracut, and Roland E. Derby, Lowell, Mass, assignors to J. P. Stamens 8; Co; Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation oi: Dfelae Application July 1, 1949, Serial No. 102,458

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This invention has for its object to secure in a continuous operation the drying of cloth rapid- 1v, efii i v, o c ll an With t in u y to e cloth, a u r whe emp ed la e y or wholly of wool fibre.

n th m f ctu o (210th i i e essar often more h once, to Perf rm a d i g 9P- eration to remove moisture from the cloth. The contained moisture is the result ef the treat-.- ment, usually by immersion, of the cloth in dyeing and other operations. The liquid employed in the treatment may contain a percentage of sulphuric acid, or other ingredients, but water is basically the liquid which has to be removed by the drying operation.

It has been found that a high degree of tem-. perature together with a high relative humidity of the air employed in the drying operation is not only inefiicient because of the'low moisture absorption quality of the air, but the effect, par-.- ticularly upon wool fibre, is'detrimental and may result in permanently damaging the wool. It is therefore one of the objectsofthe invention to provide for the maintenance of a low relative humidity in the an employed in the drying operation.

It has also been found that in the ordinary drying operation a film of vapor is formed above and adjacent the cloth which has an insulating effect and unless constantly removed seriously reduces the efiioiency of thedrying operatio'nl In the present invention the cloth is caused to travel in open width in a plurality of runs through a chamber, and preferably successively through two juxtaposed chambers, and a large volume of atmospheric air is passed through'the chamber from side to side'throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs of cloth. Ifhe term chan be1 as employed herein is to be understood as meaning a chamber substantially closed except for the ss o h c th thereint a o t t ere nd fo he adm si n th r in o and h d scharge therefrom of the air employed in the dry: ing operation.

T se' v me o ai in acc rdance wi h the principles i th iuve i ea 11$ 30. e d but s ake fr m the atmo h e eit e outside of or from within the factory. This at mospheric air before passing into contact with the cloth is then heated to the required drying temperature. But atmospheric air, even when the relative humidity is high, has .a very low relative humi whe he ted to a d i e rera ure sa .1 80? aedsqesseueeflflai the latter temperature has a high moisture absorbent quality. For example, if the outside air, as in winter, had a temperature of 40? and was saturated', or at relative humidity, it would contain only about 40 grains of moisture per peundtf dry air; so that if this air were raised to temperature still containing this 40 grains its relative humidity would be in the vicinity of one-fourth of one per cent, and consequently it would have a very high capacity to absorb moisture which is the requisite of a drying operation. The present invention by making use of a large volume of atmospheric air and by not recirculating'this air maintains at all times the airemployed in the drying operation at a low relative humidity with a consequent high moistur'e' absorbent quality.

The invention also prevents the formation of any insulating film of vapor adjacent the surface of the cloth'by providing for the continuous passage of this large volume of air transversely across the runs of cloth so as to sweep away the vapor which would otherwise form such a film. 4

"Further, it will be recognized that reduction in'barometr'ic pressure causes an increase in the vapor'pressure' of'the moisture in the cloth, and the present invention has for its further object to take advantage of this principle by maintaining infthe chamber through which the cloth is traveling 'a sub atmo'spheric pressure thus proportion'ately increasing the vapor pressure of the moisture in the cloth and the speed and efficiency of thedrying operation.

While the invention employs continuous passage of ,a large volume of heated atmospheric airthrough the chamber transversely across the runs of cloth, and this air is not recirculated in accordance with the principles of the invention; neverthelessjthe total e fficiency of the method'and apparatus may be increased by transferring the heat contained in the air discharged from the drying operation to the entering volume of fresh atmospheric air, and as a further feature -ofthe invention this is secured by passing the diseharged air from the drying operation and the 'atrnds'phericair' entering the drying operation through a suitable heat exchanger.

Wool cloth dried in accordance with the principles of this invention is left with a high moisture .regaiiicapacity undamaged, and substantially in its natural state.

The principles of the invention as set forth arefurther illustrated and described in connection with a simple and preferred form of apparatus embodying the invention and which may be employed in carrying out the method of the invention. Such an apparatus is illustrated largely diagrammatically in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse cross section of the construction of apparatus shown in Fig 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal cross section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus employing a heat exchanger,

The apparatus illustrated comprises two similar juxtaposed rectangular chambers l and 2 constructed of suitable size and the usual materials required for cloth dryers. The cloth is caused to travel through the chambers in a plurality of runs in each chamber extending normal to the sides of the chambers. The runs of cloth are shown extending horizontally and guided around rolls near the ends of the chambers and with the cloth held in open width, but the particular means for causing the cloth to travel in the plurality of runs, and the position of the runs in the chambers, are not important so long as the runs are normal to the sides of the chamber through which the aid is introduced and. discharged so that the air sweeps across the surfaces of the cloth.

In the construction illustrated endless tenterlike chains 3 are continuously driven passing from the roll 4 into the chamber 2 at the opening 5 and thence back and forth around the rolls 8 in the chamber 2, thence through the opening 7 in the partition 8 which separates the chambers, thence back and forth around the rolls '3 in the chamber I, and thence out through the opening I0. These chains run in suitable guides ii mounted on uprights I2.

The cloth, indicated at 13, is continuously connected to the tenter chains as it passes over the roll 4 and is then carried by the chains through the plurality of horizontal runs indicated in each chamber and emerges with the chainsthrough the opening E0, is disconnected from the chains at l4, and is shown rolled up in dried condition at 15.

An admission duct !6 is connected to one side of the chamber l throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs of cloth, it being noted that the runs of cloth do not extend, by reason of the supports for the tenter chains, etc., to the ends of the chamber. Thus air entering from the admission duct passes directly across all the runs of cloth and both surfaces of each run practically throughout their length.

A discharge duct H is shown connected to the same side of the second chamber 2, also through an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs of cloth. An auxiliary chamber I8 is shown connected to the opposite sides of both chambers land 2 also throughout substantially the same areas coextensive with the areas traversed by the runs. This auxiliary receives the air discharged from the chamber 1 and supplies the air introduced to the chamber 2.

The volume of atmospheric air is drawn into the admission duct l6 and for that purpose the duct is extended to a convenient position for receiving either outside or inside atmospheric air. This air drawn into the admission duct is continuously supplied with heat and any suitable means for that purpose may be provided, preferably a steam heated fin type of radiator 19 is located in the admission duct adjacent the inlet therefrom to the chamber 1.

The heated atmospheric air thus drawn through the admission duct is continuously passed, in the construction illustrated, first through the chamber i transversely across the runs of cloth, then through the auxiliary chamber i8, thence through the chamber 2, across the runs of cloth in a direction opposite to its passage in the chamber and thence out through the discharge duct ll. This continuous passage of the air into, through the chambers, and the discharge therefrom is secured by two series of fans, preferably of the propeller type, which are highly efiicient in moving large volumes of air. One series of fans 20 is located at the exit side 01' the first chamber I with the fans arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs. While these fans, of course, cannot cover the entire area they effectively move the volume of air through the entire area across the runs of cloth. These fans may be mounted and driven in any suitable manner. They are illustrated as carried by individual shafts 2i journaled in the outer wall of the auxiliary chamber and in a bracket '22 supported from the curved bottom plate 23 and with each shaft driven by an individual motor A second series of fans is mounted at the exit side of the second chamber 2 with these fans also arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs. These fans 25 are shown as of the same type as the fans 29 each being carried by a shaft 26 journaled in an upright portion 2". or" the admission duct wall and a bracket 28 mounted on the curved bottom platen 29 of the discharge duct and each driven by an electric motor 3c supported on a bracket 3! on the outer wall of the admission duct l6.

In order to maintain a sub-atmospheric pressure in the chamber i and thus increase the vapor pressure of the moisture in the cloth the suction of the series of fans 20 is adjusted to exceed the pressure of the air at the inlet side of the chamber. This is readily effected by adjusting the speed of these fans to cause the suction produced by them materially to exceed the resistance offered by the passage of the air through the admission duct and the heating element [9. So also a sub-atmospheric pressure is maintained in the chamber 2 and in the apparatus illustrated this is secured by making the series of fans 25 of larger diameter and therefore more powerful in the displacement of air than the series of fans 20. That is, these two series of fans are thus correlated to cause the suction produced by the fans 25 to exceed the pressure of the fans 20.

Only a short portion of the admission and discharge ducts are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but it will be understood that these ducts are to be extended and particularly so that there will be no danger of air discharged from the discharge duct entering the admission duct and being recirculated.

The air passed through the apparatus illustrated is shown as heated by the steam heated construction I9 but as already pointed out substantial increase in efficiency and economy may be secured by causing the discharged heated air from the discharge duct H to transfer heat to the air entering the admission duct and such an apparatus is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4 where the discharge duct l1 and the admission duct iii are shown extended through a heat exchanger 40.

Any suitable or standard heat exchanger where the two streams of air pass through separate passages and the heat is transferred from the one to the 'other'through separating walls of metal of high diathermancy may be employed and no claim is made to such an exchanger per se.

The apparatus illustrated as a simple and preferred embodiment of the invention, as pointed out, may be made of any suitable size and should, of course, be well insulated to conserve the heat.

I'he invention has been found to be highly effective'in the rapid and efficient drying of wool cloth. With an apparatus such as outlined in the drawings having eifective areas in the side walls of the chambers of about 24'x9' and with the two chambers containing about 100 yards of wool cloth traveling therethrongh at the :rate of about forty yards per minute and with the atmospheric air introduced through the admission duct on the order of one hundred thousand cubic feetper minute, it has been found that the drying time of the cloth has greatly decreased over that secured by drying operations now in use, that the comsumption of steam for heating has been out about one half, and the total cost of the operation greatly decreased. The original quality and strength of the wool fiber of the cloth is well preserved, there are no serious defects in the cloth and it is left with a high moisture regain capacity. All this is due to the principles of the invention which have herein been pointed out.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A cloth drying apparatus comprising two juxtaposed chambers, means for guiding the travel of cloth in open width successively through said chambers in a plurality of runs in each chamber extending normal to the sides of the chamber, an admission duct connected to the side of one chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, a discharge duct connected to the same side of the second chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, an auxiliary chamber connected to the opposite sides of both chambers throughout substantially the same aforesaid areas, a series of fans at the exit side of the first chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs and a second series of fans at the exit side of the second chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs, the said two series f fans acting continuously to draw atmospheric heated air into the admission duct and pass the said air therefrom through the first chamber, thence through the auxiliary chamber, thence through the second chamber and to discharge the said air laden with moisture out through the discharge duct.

2. A cloth drying apparatus comprising two juxtaposed chambers, means for guiding the travel of cloth in open width successively through said chambers in a plurality of runs in each chamber extending normal to the sides of the chamber, an admission duct connected to the side of one chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, a discharge duct connected to the same side of the second chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, an auxiliary chamber connected to the opposite sides of both chambers throughout substantially the same aforesaid areas, a series of fans arranged in parallel transversely of the auxiliary chamber and a second series of fans arranged in parallel transversely of the discharge duct, the said two series of fans actin ,contin-i uously to draw atmospheric heated air into the admission duct and pass the said air therefrom through the first chamber, thence through the auxiliary chamber, thence through the second chamber and to discharge the said air laden with moisture out through the discharge duct.

3. A cloth drying apparatus comprising two juxtaposed chambers, means ior guiding the travel of cloth in open width successively through said chambers in a plurality of runs in .each chamber extending normal to the sides of the chamber, an admission duct connected to the side of one chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, a discharge duct connected to the same side of the second chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, an auxiliary chamber connected to the opposite sides of both chambers throughout substantially the same aforesaid areas, a series of fans at the exit side of the first chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs and a second series of fans at the exit side of the second chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs, with the two series of fans correlated to cause the suction of the second series to exceed the pressure of the first series thereby to produce sub-atmos pheric pressure in the second chamber, the said two series of fans acting continuously to draw atmospheric heated air into the admission duct and pass the said air therefrom through the first chamber, thence through the auxiliary chamber, thence through the second chamber and to discharge the said air laden with moisture out through the discharge duct.

4. A cloth drying apparatus comprising two juxtaposed chambers, means for guiding the travel of cloth in open width successively through said chambers in a plurality of runs in each chamber extending normal to the sides of the chamber, an admission duct connected to the side of one chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, a discharge duct connected to the same side of the second chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, an auxiliary chamber connected to the opposite sides of both chambers throughout substantially the same aforesaid areas, a series of fans at the exit side of the first chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs and a second series of fans at the exit side of the second chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs and in which the suction of the first series of fans exceeds the pressure of the air at the inlet to the first chamber thereby to produce sub-atmospheric pressure in the first chamber, the said two series of fans acting continuously to draw atmospheric heated air into the admission duct and pass the said air therefrom through the first chamber, thence through the auxiliary chamber, thence through the second chamber and to discharge the said air laden with moisture out through the discharge duct.

5. A cloth drying apparatus comprising two juxtaposed chambers, means for guiding the travel of cloth in open width successively through said chambers in a plurality of runs in each chamber extending normal to the sides of the chamber, an admission duct connected to the side of one chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, a discharge duct connected to the same side of the second chamber throughout an area substantially coextensive with the area traversed by the runs, an auxiliary chamber connected to the opposite sides of both chambers throughout substantially the same aforesaid areas, a series of fans at the exit side of the first chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs and a second series of fans at the exit side of the second chamber arranged in parallel throughout the area traversed by the runs in which the suction of the first series of fans exceeds the pressure of the air at the inlet to the firt chamber and in which the two series of fans are correlated to cause the suction of the second series to exceed the pressure of the first series thereby producing sub-atmospheric pressure in both chambers, the said two series of fans acting continuously to draw atmospheric heated air into the admission duct and pass the said air therefrom through the first chamber, thence 8 through the auxiliary chamber, thence through the second chamber and to discharge the said air laden with moisture out through the discharge duct.

LESLIE A. RUNTON.

ROLAND E. DERBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

